Speed Demon

Mira Erda has been flirting with the physics of Formula One racing since she was nine. Nikita Sawant catches up with the 17-year-old in a tearing hurry

- Nikita Sawant

Mira Erda may look like a regular teenager who does regular teenager things like going to college, hanging with friends and having slumber parties. But there’s much more to her than meets the eye. This young woman from Vadodara has been living life in the fast lane since she got into a go-kart as a little girl. Erda is now a Formula One racer and is the youngest woman to have entered the Euro JK series, one of the highest classes of formula racing in the country. Among her many achievements is ranking third at the JK Tyre-MMS Rotax Rookie Cup 2011 and fifth at the All Stars Karting 2012 Invitational Yamaha SL International. Erda, who has participated in about 75 races already, tells us about the thrill of the race.

Was there a pivotal moment that brought you to racing?

I was eight when my dad opened a go-karting shack in Vadodara and I’d often go there with my cousins. I started racing at the age of nine and I enjoyed it immensely. My dad noticed my interest and asked me if I wanted to take up Motor sports seriously. I thought, why not give it a try. So we went to Pune to participate in a go-karting championship. I trained for a couple of days there, had six days of practice, and entered the competition.

Did racing cars so young change your personality in any way?